Born in 1962, of Inuit and Scottish ancestry, Michael’s work reflects and merges the dualities of his ancestry. Michael push the boundaries of what is real and what isn’t. Working in metal, stone, exotic woods, bone, plastic and at times found objects, Michael incorporates traditional, and contemporary elements in a manner all his own.
Michael received a degree in Fine Art with a major in jewelry in 1991 from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. After graduation, Michael took part in a carving workshop, organized by the Inuit Art Foundation. Exposure in Inuit Art Quarterly allowed Michael to take part in lectures and symposiums dealing with artistic changes within the sphere of Inuit art.
Michael taught jewelry and stone carving in Nunavut and Newfoundland and Labrador, before setting up his own studio in Kippens, NL in 1997. For 7 years Michael worked with a gallery in New York, NY and for the last 15 years has worked with the Spirit Wrestler gallery in Vancouver, BC.
Over that time, Michael has had his works included in a number of permanent collections; the ROM, AGO, The Rooms, MacDonald Stewart Centre, The National gallery, The Smithsonian and the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Michael was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts in 2011. In 2017 he became a Member of the Order of Canada.